I Don't Want to Wear a Tie
by Selvet
Summary: Harvey often referred to his associate as a kid, but he never thought the nickname would become literal.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Oh god, another multi-chapter! Someone stop me! Aha, yes another story. Don't worry I don't plan on abandoning _Lean on Me_ but I have no idea how frequently I'll be able to update either of these because school is starting again in about two weeks and it's my junior year *cries*! I originally planned on waiting to post this until I had more chapters written, but after the last episode, I need to post it to cheer myself up haha. It was suchhh a good episode! The perfect mix of happiness and sadness (I cried like a baby when Harvey's dad died and when he went to visit him). But yay! He's going to get Donna backkk!

So here's my new story, it's mini!Mike and I was inspired by _Crayons for the Associate, Sir?_ by **Phoenix on cloud nine** a_nd Dream a Little Me In Yours Dreams_ (a White Collar fic) by **DjDangerLove **and decided to write one of my own because you can't enough daddy!Harvey too :) The title is from the song, 'I Don't Want to Grow Up' from Peter Pan (aka my favorite childhood Disney movie/story).

And BIG thanks to my new beta, **DaniBD**

**Disclaimer: **still don't own Suits or any of it's characters. The show would be a mess if I owned it, dear God.

So enjoy the story and leave me a review to let me know what you think! Xx

* * *

"Look, Mark, even if they _did _steal that research from you, there's no proof. Pearson Hardman represents the company, not you. And even if it was the other way around, I can assure you, you'd still lose the case."

Mark Stevens shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and stared up at the tall building in front of them. It killed Mike that there wasn't much he could do to help the man that was so much like himself. Harvey would've been annoyed at him for caring so much about the situation, especially considering the fact that Mark wasn't even their client. But he couldn't help but see a bit of himself in the man.

"This isn't just a _case _to me, Mr. Ross. This is my entire _life. _Did you know I graduated from MIT at _fifteen? _But I've been working on this since I was thirteen. That's when I originally came up with the idea. I have devoted the last twelve years on this project and…and this company says they'll help me out and then they go and pretend it was _their _idea and _their _work like I don't exist to them! They take it all away and you're saying there's nothing I can do?" His tone was hopeless and angry.

Mike looked down minutely before glancing over at his boss who stood by the entrance. Harvey tapped his watch impatiently, reminding the associate that they had a meeting at four. Mike checked his watch. _In half an hour. Great._

"You know, when I was growing up, no one took me seriously. I mean a kid at MIT? That itself was enough to make me stand out. But what I was working on didn't help. No one believed that my project had potential. But I thought…I thought once I was finished and my work was published, people would finally stop treating me like some freak-kid with a big brain." Mark shook his head, running his fingers through his messy blonde hair. "Never should've told that asshole about my work. I can't believe I trusted him. I actually thought he was trying to help by getting his company to fund my research; he said I'd still get credit. Should've known he'd end up stabbing me in the back! Why else would they be paying for it under the table? God, I should've seen this coming."

The associate stared at him sympathetically. He definitely knew what it was like to be an outcast. Especially for being smarter than nearly everyone around him. And then to be taken advantage of…

"I understand."

"How? How could you possibly understand?! Y-You don't even _believe _me, do you?" He was half-yelling at that point, causing Mike to glance over at his boss anxiously.

"No, no. Mark, all I'm saying is that you don't have any _evidence._"

"Well what kind of evidence do you need?" Mark asked desperately, fiddling with something in his pocket, though the lawyer didn't notice.

"Your research is all gone and you have no way of showing that you even had the idea before them. I don't even know if you'll be able to prove that you worked for them. Because if what you're saying is true, they've covered your existence there pretty well."

"It's not _gone, _Mr. Ross! I was kicked out of my lab. It's all there!" Mark bit his lower lip. "Well actually…not _all _of the research is gone. I had a small amount of the serum at my place. Would maybe…a live test subject help me?"

Mike shrugged. "The _serum_?" It vaguely made him think of some superhero movie - maybe Captain America – and made it hard to take the younger man seriously. "I mean you could try using it. I don't know that it'll help much though. Your employers could easily say that you stole it. A live test subject…well um that depends I think. Something to show everyone might help. What _were_ you working on anyway?"

"It's a sort of…de-aging solution."

"Wait, what? De-aging? Like, what? Keeping adults from getting wrinkles?" Mike could hardly keep himself from laughing. Some company was getting into a big fight with a young scientist over a _de-aging _project? What sort of sci-fi movie did they think they were in?

When the young man had called and asked to meet with them, Harvey had immediately tossed it to his associate. All he said was that the man was a 'kid genius' much like Mike himself and to find out what he needed exactly. Apparently the young scientist had been calling non-stop since a company that was a newer client of the firm's had claimed his research as their own. Even Harvey knew there was no way Mark could win, but he had hoped Mike could at least calm Mark down and maybe get it through to him that it was over. But there had been no mention of such ridiculous claims like being able to create a 'de-aging' serum. It sounded like some cheesy comic or movie.

"Well, depending on the amount given…it could turn an adult into a child."

The associate scoffed, though he quickly shut his mouth. He mentally kicked himself the second he saw the frustration and hurt on Mark Stevens' face. The young scientist stared at him with wide, green eyes.

"See, you don't believe me!"

Suddenly, Mark whipped his hand out of his pocket, clutching something in his fist as he lunged at Mike. Before he could react, he felt Mark's left hand on his shoulder, preventing him from backing up. Quickly, the young man brought his fist toward Mike. Out of the corner of his eye, the lawyer could see the end of the syringe. Mark hurriedly stabbed it into the side of Mike's neck, pushing down on the end with his thumb and injecting the contents into him. Yanking it away again, he dropped the syringe on the concrete ground and leaned forward as Mike's hand went to his neck. A sharp pain was beginning to spread from the tiny wound to his head. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears and his hands were shaking.

"There's your proof."

Mike stumbled back, as an overwhelming fear began to build up inside of him. Blue eyes wide, he stared in shock at the scientist. He could faintly hear someone shout for security, and the sound of footsteps quickly approaching. Mark simply stood back, arms folded over his chest with a small smile on his face.

"What the hell?" Mike growled, struggling to keep his balance.

"You said you needed proof! And now you'll have it; a live test subject. Someone will be bound to believe me after this!"

"That's…not…" the young attorney found that it was hard to speak as he glared at Mark.

_I didn't mean myself, _he wanted to shout. _I thought it would be a rat or a dog. A human being was far from what would help. _

The associate watched as two security guards finally stepped forward and grabbed the smiling man. Mike's legs began to buckle beneath the weight of his suddenly heavy frame. Feeling a pair of arms wrap around his waist he craned his head up to see Harvey slowly lowering him to the ground. His whole body felt limp and everything around him looked like he was in the middle of an earthquake…like the ground was moving beneath him. It reminded him of those glasses that make everything look the way it would if you were drunk - which was not a pleasant feeling. He held his breath and squeezed his eyes shut tightly in an attempt to keep his lunch down.

"_Mike?!_"

_Rachel_, he thought suddenly and opened his eyes.

The paralegal knelt beside him, concern covering her face. He felt his boss loosen his grip as he said something to Rachel that Mike couldn't quite hear. She quickly took Harvey's place, supporting the half-unconscious man as he stepped toward the scientist.

"What did you give him?" He asked, angry but calm at the same time, picking up the syringe with his handkerchief and holding it up for Mark to see.

"The serum. He said you needed evidence to get my research back and now you'll have it!" Mark sounded almost excited, which only caused the lawyer to grow angrier.

"_The serum_?" he repeated, arching his eyebrows with a faint smirk on his face.

"The _de-aging serum, _Mr. Specter. Mr. Ross didn't believe me either! But you'll see. You'll see…"

"Y-You're…in-ins-insane," Mike stuttered, though his words were hardly coherent. He couldn't help but feel absolutely terrified. His whole body felt like it wasn't there…like he was just sort of trapped in his mind. And it was getting more and more difficult to speak clearly. Rachel quietly shushed him, running her fingers through his hair as his eyes fluttered shut.

"What, is my associate going to turn into a teenager now? Looks to match his attitude? Great," Harvey joked dryly.

Mark grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see." He told him again in a sing-songy voice.

Harvey passed a hand over his eyes, taking a deep breath. There was something off about this kid. He motioned for the security guards to take him inside, quickly getting annoyed by his pleased expression. When he was gone, he turned back to his associate, kneeling down beside him and swinging one arm over his shoulder, and carefully hoisted him upright.

"Do you um, need my help, Mr. Specter?" Rachel asked, glancing at the very limp Mike worriedly.

"Just go tell Jessica that I'm taking Mike to the hospital. The guy thinks he gave Mike a 'de-aging serum'. Who knows what was really in that syringe."

Rachel nodded and quickly went back into the building as Harvey half-dragged Mike toward the curb, ignoring the many curious people.

"Hey, stay awake. And don't die or anything. I really don't want to do the associate interviews again _or_ all of the work I'd get stuck with while I'm looking. Donna will kill me, then you, then me again if you die, kid."

Mike mumbled something about being late to their meeting, before putting all of his weight on Harvey as he fell unconscious.

"Shit," he grumbled. He was not enjoying having to carry Mike around, especially in front of all of the co-workers that were either walking past or watching. "Really? Only you would go get injected with something by a client. _And _make me miss a meeting. You're lucky this one's not a bit deal."

He quickly called Ray, thankful when the driver managed to get there within a few minutes. He dumped Mike in the backseat, shutting the door and jumping into the passenger seat beside Ray. They sped off for the hospital; Harvey occasionally turning around to check on the young lawyer that hadn't made a sound since he got in the car. Harvey just hoped he was still breathing. _Not _because he cared or anything. He just really didn't want to have to look for a new associate…

When they arrived at the hospital, Ray helped Harvey bring Mike in. The nurse at the front desk gave them a little trouble at first, but it didn't take much for Harvey to get Mike into a room with a doctor on the way.

"So, could you tell me what happened, Mister…?"

"Specter. Harvey Specter. And I'm not exactly sure what lead up to it but, my associate was given some sort of agent during a meeting," he pointed at the young man lying on the bed, "with what he seemed to believe was a 'de-aging' agent… No clue what was really in the syringe. I have it, though. It's empty."

The doctor nodded, taking the object and placing it aside for a moment. He walked back over, opened Mike's eyes and shone a flashlight over them quickly, doing basically a routine checkup. About halfway through Mike began to regain consciousness and was seemingly confused.

As he looked around, nothing seemed to focus correctly. Everything was fuzzy and unclear like he was looking through a dirty camera lens. Leaning over him was a tall, balding man in a lab coat. Mike's brow furrowed as he tried to figure out where he was and why he was there. When he noticed Harvey finally, his confusion only increased. The doctor quickly asked him questions that Mike was sure you'd probably ask someone who'd been hit in the head. He tiredly answered each one, but he quickly became frustrated and snapped at the doctor that he was fine and still remembered everything.

The doctor and a nurse quickly took a little blood, which caused the associate to panic a little, and sent it to the hospital's lab to be tested. The doctor helped him to sit on the edge of the bed, having Harvey hold him up straight as he checked his reflexes. Mike reached forward several times in an attempt to grab a hold of the stethoscope hanging from the doctor's neck, only for his boss to quickly swat at his hand. The younger lawyer wasn't sure what was so fascinating about the object; it simply just _was._

When he was done, the doctor stood back and looked at Mike, scanning the young man before him with furrowed brows.

"Well I can't find any physical issues that might've resulted from the injection, but we can't be totally sure until the test results come back. Why don't you two just sit tight and I'll be back as soon as I hear something."

Mike leaned back in the bed, staring up at the ceiling then down at his skinny tie. He tugged at it, trying to loosen it around his neck. Why was the tie making him more irritated than usual?

"What are you doing?" Harvey asked from where he stood by the window.

"Don't want it on…" Mike whined.

Harvey rolled his eyes and focused back on his Blackberry, reading through the few text messages he'd received since they arrived. There was one from Jessica asking for updates on Mike and saying that Mark Stevens still hadn't said anything about what he'd given Mike. And there were about five from his assistant, demanding information on 'their puppy'. Harvey decided he'd reply when he actually had information, so he sat down in the empty chair, eyeing Mike as he continued to struggle with the tie.

Mike's entire body felt weak. It took an incredible amount of effort to move and he found himself getting quickly frustrated when he couldn't seem to get his damn tie off. He felt like a toddler who hadn't gotten a nap…and was being forced to wear an uncomfortable suit and an annoyingly tight tie that was meant to strangle him. No matter how hard he tried, the neck-wear seemed to be stuck.

"Would you calm down?" Harvey snapped, standing up and walking over to the bed.

"Wh-what are you doing? Leggo!" Mike attempted to push his boss away as the man took a hold of his tie.

"Mike! Stop moving." Harvey quickly loosened the tie and took it off, shoving it into the younger man's hands before returning to his seat.

"I could've done it myself. I'm not a kid," Mike grumbled, dropping his head back as a wave of exhaustion hit him.

"Not a kid," Harvey chuckled quietly.

Mike scowled and focused back on the ceiling once again. He really didn't know how to explain how he felt. His whole head felt foggy, like he couldn't think quite straight, and his body had a strange tingling feeling. He just wanted to be discharged so he could get back to work and finish the mountain of paperwork that Louis had no doubt already dumped on his desk, then go home, have a beer and sleep it off.

The doctor returned about half an hour later, test results in his hand. By that point, Mike was completely out of it again. His blue eyes were shut lightly as he hummed loudly to himself as the doctor approached Harvey.

"Well, Mr. Specter…we didn't find anything dangerous in your associate's system. I'm not entirely sure what the mixture was, but it seems to be just some sort of anesthetic. I don't know how long it'll last but I think Mr. Ross here will be fine. He's just going to be a bit uh…" The men both turned to look at Mike as he began to sing quietly to himself, his eyes still shut as if he were sleeping. "…loopy. All in all, I think he should be fine." The doctor finished with a slight laugh.

"Alright." Harvey could sense a _but _coming though.

"_But -_" There it was, "_- _I would suggest keeping an eye on him. Like I said, I'm not really sure what the mix in the solution did besides make him act like this…it would be a good idea to make sure nothing changes. I'd say we could just keep him here, but it could also just be a waste of time. He might be perfectly fine in an hour or so."

Harvey opened his mouth to protest but the doctor quickly left to go fill out the papers to have Mike discharged, leaving the older man with his musical associate. He rolled his eyes as Mike began his round of the Beatles, trying to hold back laughter. He had to admit that it was a bit amusing to say the least. A few times though he had to step over and tell the kid to shut up when passing nurses and doctors glanced in, seemingly annoyed.

He debated about who else might be willing to take the kid in until he felt better, but the list was incredibly short. He didn't think Donna's boyfriend would really want to have to help babysit the younger lawyer, so she would probably say no despite the fact that she really did adore Mike. Maybe Rachel? _Yes, Harvey. She'd definitely want her boyfriend of two minutes to stay with her. _As far as he knew, Jenny wasn't on speaking terms with Mike and his grandmother was an obvious no. SoonHarvey nearly found himself considering Louis.

"_Harv-ee_, when can I go _home_?" Mike whined suddenly, looking up at his boss with his big, blue eyes.

"You sound like a child. And stop pouting like that unless you're trying to look like one too." Mike scowled. "And you're not."

"I-I'm not? But Harvey, I'm _tired. _I don't want to go back to work!"

"What? You're not going back to work, genius." Harvey hated it when Mike even visited his home, and now he had to do something that practically betrayed every fiber of his being. "You're staying at my place until you're not…like _this _anymore. There's no way in hell I'm going over to that condemned building of yours when you can barely stay conscious. Again, what good is a dead associate to me?"

"You're gonna let me stay with you?" His voice was small, but his tone was slightly mocking. "Does this mean you care -"

"Shut up before I change my mind."

Mike went silent immediately, which was also sort of strange. He nodded half-heartedly as he chewed at the tip of his thumb. Harvey did his best to ignore the associate's watering eyes. Since when was the kid so easily upset? Harvey gave Ray a quick call, asking him to meet them out front. A few minutes later, a nurse came in with a wheel chair, telling them they were free to go.

"Hey, you're pretty. Guys, I got it, I got it. I know how to stand," Mike mumbled with a boyish grin when the nurse and Harvey tried to help him off the bed. His boss rolled his eyes while the nurse blushed and looked away. But the second they both loosened their grip on him, he nearly fell onto the ground. His face turned a bright shade of pink as they helped him over to the wheel chair. "Nevermind."

* * *

As soon as they set foot in Harvey's condo, the older man half-dragged his associate to his leather couch, sitting him down. Mike gave up trying to stay conscious as he let himself slump to the side, his skinny tie still in his hand. He wasn't quite sure what his new little fixation was with the tie. He just knew that for some reason, holding it at the moment gave him some small comfort. His boss rolled his eyes, helping the kid to lie down so he didn't topple off of the couch. Not seeing much else to do, Harvey left for his room to find something more comfortable to wear. They probably weren't going to get back to work anytime soon.

After checking to make sure that Mike was still breathing a couple times - he'd never seen someone stay so completely still while sleeping…or that silent - he sent a quick text to Donna and Jessica to tell them that the 'puppy' was fine. Feeling exhausted after dealing with Mike's delirious antics and the worrying that his associate had been poisoned - not that he'd admit to it - for the last couple hours had nearly drained him of any energy. He quietly made his way to his room, hoping a nap might refresh him and keep him 'occupied' while Mike was passed out as well.

As he lied down he muttered, "Only this kind of thing would happen to _you_. Good thing you're worth all of this trouble."

* * *

When Harvey finally woke up, it was a quarter to seven. He yawned loudly, not quite remembering why he was home so early, let alone _asleep. _Suddenly it came back to him. Mark Stevens, the mystery solution he injected Mike with, taking the kid to the hospital…_Mike sleeping on his couch_. Yeah, this was playing out to be a great day. A small whimper snapped Harvey out of his sleep dazed thoughts, and a sob from the living room brought the lawyer to his feet.

Quietly, he sauntered out of his room, determined to figure out what had the kid so upset. He was staying in Harvey's condo for Pete's sake! What could be so horrible about that? Especially compared to the state Mike was usually living in at his own place. But when he reached the living room, his associate was nowhere in sight. When he caught sight of the younger man's suit pants on the couch, his jaw literally dropped.

_What the hell, kid? This is just great. My delirious, drugged associate is wandering around in my apartment with no pants on. If he breaks anything -_

Harvey was snapped out of his irate thoughts when he heard the whimpering again. This time from the direction of the kitchen…but he couldn't see anyone. He made his way around the counter, rubbing his eyes and half expecting to see Mike on the ground or something. But that certainly was _not _what was waiting for him in his kitchen.

"Oh my God."

There in front of the refrigerator, staring at his unclear reflection stood a three-year-old boy with familiar blue eyes and messy blonde hair. His bottom lip quivered as he stared over at the tall lawyer. He tugged lightly at the giant shirt that was covering his entire body and in his little fist he held a dark, skinny tie.

"_Mike?_"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Wow! I'm so glad that you guys like this story! After one chapter, it already passed up my other story(that has 4 chapters) in follows and favorites and has nearly the same amount of reviews! :D Big thank you to everyone also taking the time to review; it means a lot to me to hear your thoughts!

Big thanks to my beta, **DaniBD **for getting this back to me so fast even though she wasn't feeling well and helping me with the ending *hugs*

**Disclaimer: **still don't own anything! I'd rather be on the show than own it anyway ;)

* * *

Mike stirred in his sleep, curling up more tightly into a ball on the sofa. His brow furrowed when he realized how incredibly loose his clothes felt. He groaned quietly as his eyes fluttered open, his hands immediately flying toward his head to massage his throbbing temples. He sat up slowly, taking in his surroundings. It took a few minutes for him to realize where he was and recall what had happened earlier that day. It was still kind of funny to him that Harvey had actually decided to let him stay at his place. _He cares_. Mike glanced around the room, frowning suddenly. He'd only been there a couple times before but he was sure everything had been a whole lot _smaller_ before.

The younger lawyer finally looked down at himself only to have his bright, blue eyes widen in a mix of fear and confusion. He couldn't even make out his body under the giant, light blue shirt that he appeared to be practically drowning in. His sleeves that had been rolled up to his elbows were past his finger tips and he was surprised he'd only just noticed that. His feet were barely reaching his suit pants that lay limply on the couch. Mike gawked at his outfit, hurriedly holding his hands out in front of him. They were _tiny_; a child's hands…a _toddler_'s hands. In his left fist he found his tie that he'd held on to since Harvey helped him get it off at the hospital.

Mike scampered off the couch, nearly toppling over the second his feet hit the ground. He wobbled momentarily, his eyes growing wider by the second when he found how small he was compared to the furniture around him. He felt like Alice after she'd eaten one of those candies or taken a sip of a drink in Wonderland and suddenly shrunk. He stumbled toward the kitchen, eyeing the stainless steel refrigerator hopefully. Mike whimpered, gripping his skinny tie more tightly as if it were a child's teddy bear.

When he reached the kitchen - it seemed like a longer trip all of a sudden - he felt his lower lip quiver at the sight of the counter that was now bigger than him. _This is wrong. So wrong, _his mind said over and over. He stepped toward the shiny fridge that towered over him the same way the Pearson Hardman building did. Mike simply looked up at it for a long time, too terrified to actually look at his unclear reflection.

Eventually he got the nerve to glare straight ahead and instantly a grievous sob escaped his small lips. A little, blonde boy dressed in a giant dress shirt and holding a crumpled navy, blue tie stared back at him. Mike lifted his right arm only to see the little boy do the same then repeated it with his left with the same outcome.

"_Holy shit_," he breathed. His shaky voice was quiet and high pitched. "No, no, no."

He heard footsteps coming into the kitchen but couldn't take his eyes away from his reflection. There was a horrible feeling in his gut and it wasn't until he heard Harvey's voice that he snapped out of his thoughts. Slowly, he turned to his boss with moist eyes. He wanted to say something, but he found that words failed him. He clutched the tie tightly, turning to Harvey as he struggled to keep the terrified tears at bay.

"_Mike?_" Harvey asked incredulously.

The boy's mouth and throat felt dry, so he simply nodded. The older man shook his head.

"That's impossible," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Seriously, kid, who are you? Where's Mike? And how'd you get into my condo?"

Mike scowled. "It's _me_, Harvey!" he insisted, then glanced back to his reflection. "Well, I think… I don't know. I-I don't understand."

His lower lip wobbled when he heard his own speech. He sounded like such a…_child. _Though he seemed to be speaking pretty clearly, his voice was still that of a toddler. There was no way this was happening; he had to be dreaming. His boss continued to stare at him as if he was questioning his and his associate's sanity…because one of them _had _to be losing it.

Harvey glared at the kid, refusing to accept that he was indeed Mike Ross. "If you're _Mike_, then…how did we meet?" he asked lamely. Seeing a toddler in his kitchen that was supposedly his associate was enough to make his usual witty-self falter.

The boy rolled his eyes. "_That's _the question you pick?" His tone was a little lighter, but there was still a panicked undertone. "I met you while you were doing interviews for your new associate. I pretended to be Wick Sowkin 'cause the cops were chasing me and I had a bwiefcase full of weed. Den I completely blew your mind with mine and you hiwed me, even dough I didn't actually go to Hawvard. Den a week ago Jessica found out but I gotta stay and I don't think she likes me. A-And Daniel Hawdman's back and he's gonna go aftew her and you or something -" Mike said quickly, causing himself to mispronounce several of his words.

Harvey finally cut him off, wanting to get the boy to shut up. "Kid, I asked how we met; not for a 'recently at Pearson Hardman' spiel."

_Sounds like Mike, _he thought. _Well besides the fact that he said he impersonated a guy named Wick Sowkin. _

"Well maybe Mark Stevens isn't completely delusional after all."

"The guy is cwaz- _crazy_ and now I'm…what? Three?" Mike's eyes began to water again as he let himself plop down on the kitchen floor with his back to his reflection. He suddenly felt so exhausted - and hungry.

"Three sounds about right." The older lawyer was a little too calm for Mike's taste, causing the boy to let out a frustrated sigh as he slumped against the fridge. Harvey rolled his eyes and racked his brain for ideas about how to deal with the situation. He still wasn't entirely convinced that he was awake.

How the hell was he supposed to know what to do when his 28-year-old associate suddenly shrank into a three-year-old? He didn't even know how to deal with a regular toddler for Christ's sake! What was he supposed to tell Jessica? She'd tried to get rid of him only a week prior and now the 'kid' was literally a kid. That would sure make the managing partner want to keep him around. And then there were people like Daniel Hardman and Louis… As the thoughts began to overwhelm him and Mike's sniffles grew louder until Harvey was sure he was about to burst into tears, one person came to mind. _Donna. _

"I can't believe I actually turned into a kid! He was joking! I-I dought he was joking! Hawvey! We've gotta make him tuwn me back!" as he grew more upset, his spoke more like an actual three year old.

Harvey tried to ignore him, get his thoughts straight. He quickly made his way back to his room, telling the kid to, "Stay and don't touch anything." Harvey stood in his room, finger on the call button. He hesitated, worried that maybe he was imagining it all and would sound like a complete idiot if he called his assistant to inform her that Mike had transformed into a child. Feeling the need to assure himself that the other attorney was indeed no longer a full-grown man, he walked to his doorway and stared out into the living room. The little blonde boy was now standing beside the sofa, gazing hopelessly at the oversized pair of pants. He shook his head, still not quite comprehending the situation but hit send anyway. It wasn't every day that one's life did a swan dive into the Twilight Zone and somehow he knew Donna would enjoy this more than it would freak her out.

* * *

The assistant arrived about an hour later, a small bag of boy's clothes in hand. All Harvey had said was that he need her to come over and get some clothes for a three-year-old boy, assuming that's how old Mike was and he'd be able to fit in any clothes for that age. He promised to explain when she arrived, hoping to avoid an interrogation over the phone. Luckily, she had a four-year-old nephew that had forgotten some things of his during his last visit, so she figured they would be good enough for whoever this mystery child was.

Harvey was thoroughly relieved when Donna showed up, not sure if he could handle another second with mini-Mike. Harvey had reluctantly exited the safety of his bedroom once he got off the phone, only to find Mike trying to climb up a stool he'd somehow managed to pull from the counter to the fridge. He claimed he was hungry and thought he could manage the feat of getting food by himself even though he couldn't reach the countertop. The older man had ushered the boy out of the kitchen and put the stool back. The boy stared at him miserably from the living room, prompting Harvey to turn and search the various cabinets for something edible. Unfortunately for the both of them, Harvey had been working on a big case recently and had been too tired to actually cook or shop when he got home which meant the last two weeks had been a variety of take-out. Mike's lip wobbled as he realized he'd have to wait to be fed and in a matter of seconds he was sobbing into the leather couch cushions, causing his boss to cringe.

The couch did little to muffle the child's bawling and slurred babbling. He quieted down for a few minutes when Harvey remembered that Mike liked stuffed crust pizza and offered to order some once Donna got there. Mike sat up for a while, rubbing his eyes tiredly before he began to sniffle again and mumble about how 'widiculous' this was and how uncomfortable only having on a shirt that was basically a dress was.

The boy perked up when the doorbell rang, looking over to his boss with big, blue eyes. Before he could ask if it was the pizza man that Harvey hadn't even called yet, the older man was at the door letting Donna in. The excited smile faded and he huffed in annoyance, folding his little arms over his chest. It wasn't until he heard the red-head gasp at the sight of the toddler that he remembered that _he _was the toddler suddenly being fawned over. He was tempted to run to Harvey's open bedroom and hide; he didn't want anyone to see him like _this_. Mike wondered if she even realized that 'big Mike' was gone.

"Harvey! Who's this?" She placed the bag on the counter, glancing at her boss quickly.

"Donna…it's -"

"Shut up!" Mike cried out suddenly, blue eyes wide with frustration. The assistant arched her eyebrows in surprise. Harvey simply rolled his eyes.

"I called her over here for a reason. I'm not going to _not _tell her. This, would be our very own Mike Ross."

Donna's face broke into a full-on grin as her eyes darted back and forth between her boss and his miniaturized associate. "Wh-What?" she half-laughed. "_This _is _Mike_? Harvey, the kid's _three_ and last time I checked, Mike is twenty-eight."

"He's telling the truth, unfortunately," Mike mumbled, annoyed when he had a bit of trouble saying the bigger word. His face was miserable again. "I can't believe you called Donna… Why'd you call her anyway?"

"Good to know I'm wanted here. I _did _bring you clothes for you, you know." She eyed the giant shirt he wore, then the bag on the counter behind her. "They belong to my nephew but they should fit you."

The woman smiled as Mike seemed to light up, crawling off the couch and walking over. She was shocked to say the least, as someone would be to see someone with Mike's new problem. But she quickly observed that she would be the only one there to help them both keep their sanity. Though her boss appeared fairly collected, she knew he was probably completely unnerved underneath his usual façade.

Mike really had lightened up with the news of new clothes. He couldn't wait to get some clothes on that fit, as his own shirt was all he had on and he was becoming increasingly uncomfortable with that fact. He scowled when he remembered he couldn't reach, but wasn't quite up for asking for help. Just because something like this happened to him, didn't mean he was going to embrace it. It was embarrassing enough to have to deal with his little predicament and terrifying to think he might be stuck as a child. Mike planned to do everything in his power to keep a hold on his dignity, but he wasn't really sure how that would play out considering the fact he was vertically challenged for the time being.

Harvey could practically see the frustration building up inside of the small child, his eyes still a bit bloodshot from his last tantrum. It was easy to tell Mike was on the verge of another as he glared up at the counter that towered over him.

Mike considered a few ways to retrieve the clothes but none of them seemed like they'd actually work out well. Harvey would probably just pull him off the stool if he tried to climb it again and he didn't think he could actually jump high enough. Finally he found the bag being held in front of him by an impatient senior partner.

He quickly yanked it from Harvey's hand, not even bothering to look up at him. "Don't wait for a thank you 'cause you won't get one," he grumbled, marching angrily toward the bathroom.

"_Mike_, he was just helping you." Donna looked at him sternly.

"I don't need it! I can take care of myself; I'm not a child!" The two adults cocked their heads to the side as Mike gritted his teeth. "_Don't_."

With that he stepped into the open bathroom and pushed the door shut, muttering to himself in self-loathing.

Harvey groaned, praying to God that everything would go back to normal soon. Or better yet, he wished he could simply wake up and discover it had all been some weird dream and Mike was still passed out on his couch after being given an anesthetic _not _some 'shrinking potion.' He slumped down onto his couch, running a hand through his somewhat messy hair. Donna joined him after a moment, though while Harvey was internally freaking out, she found herself making a mental list of things to get for little Mike. _Maybe a couple of books, some snacks for while he's at the office, oh and maybe -_

Suddenly there was a small wail, followed by a banging on the bathroom door. Harvey and Donna's attention snapped over to where the boy had gone and brow furrowed, Harvey stood up and made his way over.

"Mike?" he called through the door.

"Can't get da doow open!" a muffled voice replied, sounding desperate. "'m stuck!"

Harvey frowned at the associate's mispronounced words, wondering if Mike even noticed it. He carefully turned the knob and opened the bathroom door, hoping he wouldn't hit the kid in the process. Mike walked forward as soon as he heard the door hit the wall lightly. Harvey nearly laughed when he saw what Mike had meant when he said he was stuck.

The little boy's arms were sticking up and a small, blue t-shirt kept them there as it also covered his head. Apparently the kid had decided to try to deal with the shirt before pants, though he didn't seem to care that he was otherwise only wearing a pair of underwear. Mike continued to attempt to get it off on his own, stumbling around until he ran right into his boss' legs and toppled over with a surprised yelp. Once on the ground, he began to wiggle in an attempt to sit upright but to no avail. Seeing how ridiculous the boy's feeble attempts were, Harvey finally knelt down and helped him up.

"'s too small. I wanted to take it off," he whined as Harvey tried to lift the shirt off. "'s stuck! Get it off."

"I see that. Stop moving," he ordered. Mike stood still and the older man, as gently as possible, got the shirt off. "You know, when you turn back to normal, I'm never letting you forget this."

"I know. Thanks. Donna, your nephew's really small," Mike informed her as he grabbed the bag from the bathroom and tried to pick a bigger shirt and pair of pants. Eventually he settled on the matching Thomas the Train pajamas after it was pointed out that he'd have to change again when he went to sleep if he put on regular clothes.

"Are you sure you don't want to wear this?" Harvey chuckled, holding up a dark red onesie. Mike's eyes widened as he turned to Donna, staring at her questioningly.

"_What? _You have to admit, that'd be pretty cute."

Mike quickly pulled on the pants and struggled with the button up shirt until Harvey was forced to help him once again because the kid looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Not long after, Mike found himself lying on the soft carpet in the living room fussing over his growling stomach. When he'd gone over to the two adults, Harvey simply told him to be patient and he'd get him dinner after he was done talking to Donna, but it was getting harder and harder. It was becoming increasingly obvious that his boss had no idea how to care for a child.

It wasn't until the kid began to cry again and, of course, incoherent blubbering about how uncaring Harvey was followed. Harvey had no idea that food was something that could make a kid actually break down like that, but Donna was quick to tell him that being already upset plus being obviously tired and then hungry - something that kid's often were - was the cause of some of the worst tantrums she'd seen her nephew have. Not seeing another option since there was really no food around the house, the lawyer called for pizza. Almost instantly Mike was silent and luckily remained that way until the delivery man arrived.

The boy groaned when Donna snatched the plate Harvey had been handing him away. She chided their boss for trying to give a toddler a full slice as she cut it up much too slowly for Mike. Mike insisted that he could still eat like an adult but was, of course, ignored. Finally, when he actually got his food, he sprinted to the living room and jumped on the couch. Harvey was going to tell him to get the hell off of his sofa while he was eating, but Donna saw the look on his face and reminded him that they needed to finish discussing the situation. She handed Mike the TV remote and took a seat at the counter.

It didn't take long for him to scarf down most of the food and within minutes Mike was already silently munching on the pizza crust, his eyes lighting up ever so slightly when he realized it was the stuffed crust that he loved. He chewed slowly, quickly becoming immersed in the episode of Criminal Minds he was watching. He shook his head as Reid glanced around before stuffing some of the drugs into his pockets while his rescuers walked on without him. _Damn it, Reid, _he thought to himself every time he saw the episode.

As the next episode began, he found himself quickly examining every detail and each suspect that came across the screen until he was sure it was the homeless man that was killing the victims. Three-year-old Mike was completely oblivious to the hushed whispers coming from the kitchen.

* * *

"So what are we going to do about _that_?" Donna asked, gesturing toward the child behind them who seemed to be angrily muttering at the characters on the TV screen.

"How the hell am I supposed to know? I don't think there's any sort of manual about what to do when one of your employees is turned into a toddler by a mad scientist."

"Like you'd actually follow the directions if there was one," she joked, taking a sip of her wine. "Do you think he'll turn back? What'll Jessica say?"

"I hope so. I don't really do well with kids."

"You seem to be doing fine so far."

"I got him a pizza to get him to shut up," Harvey pointed out. "I don't know how to deal with a toddler, even if it's _Mike. _I can hardly stand the kid when he's normal."

"Mhm." Donna rolled her eyes, turning and leaning against the cool counter as she watched the boy quickly begin to nod off. "Are you going to take him to the office tomorrow?"

"Maybe. Just because he's small doesn't mean he can't work." His tone was slightly joking, but he wasn't kidding. The only thing that would really keep him from bringing Mike to the office would be having to worry about explaining to his bosses and make up some lie for all of the curious bystanders about why he had a toddler with him that happened to have the same name as his absent associate.

"Can he?" Harvey stared at his assistant in confusion, snapping out of his thoughts again. "Still read and write," she elaborated.

_Shit. _"I don't know." Still facing away from the living room, he called over to his associate, "Hey, Mike, do you th-"

"Harvey. Harvey!" Donna's voiced was shushed as she whacked her boss' arm. "Sh! He's asleep I think."

And sure enough, the older man turned around to see Mike lying on the couch, one arm hanging over the edge and his plate on the carpet. His eyes were shut lightly and he stirred a little, as if even the slightest sound would wake him back up. And that was the last thing Harvey wanted. He really didn't want any more tantrums or complaining; he'd had enough for one night.

Without another word, Donna walked into his room and returned with a blanket and one of his pillows. She cautiously covered the boy and gently lifted his head to place the pillow underneath. Mike unconsciously curled up under the blanket and sniffled as he brought his thumb to his mouth. Donna suppressed an, "Aw," and quickly walked back over to her boss.

"I think I should go now. You two need to rest," she told him quietly.

Harvey nodded. "I'll walk you out…"

"What? I can't ride in your personal glass elevator?" She feigned offence, walking toward the front door.

Harvey rolled his eyes, smiling as she left. But the second the door shut, he realized he was all alone with the kid. _Just stay asleep, _his mind begged. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he quietly cleaned up the kitchen before switching off all of the lights except for the kitchen one, just in case the kid got…nightmares or something.

Oh, god. What was he doing?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Here's chapter 3, everyone! Thank so much to everyone who takes the time to review! I'm so glad the story is liked :) Unfortunately I started school on Monday, so my updating schedule is a bit iffy (It's junior year, ugh). I will try my best to update once a week however, so stay tuned!

Thanks to my beta, **DaniBD**

****And be sure to check out **To Build a Home **by **rae7788 **because it's soooo amazing :D One of my favorite young!Mike stories, though he isn't deaged in that one.

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything... :/ If I did, 'hiatus' or 'hiatus until January' would be no where in my vocabulary.

Enjoy the story and be sure to review :D I love to hear your thoughts

* * *

It was 5:30 when the alarm beside Harvey's bed began to blare the series of loud, obnoxious beeping noises. He groaned, reaching over to turn it off as he slowly sat up. Running a hand through his unkempt, bed hair, he glanced around groggily. He wasn't sure why he had such a big headache, or why he felt so incredibly exhausted. He hadn't gone to bed late or anything… After a minute or so he felt more awake and climbed out of his comfortable bed, hoping a hot shower would make him feel better. Harvey stretched as he stepped toward the large glass windows, admiring the morning view of Manhattan briefly before making his way to the bathroom.

Harvey got ready slowly - he didn't like to rush, choosing one of his many suits and slicking his hair back with an incredible amount of gel. He wasn't worried about being late because even if he was, it wouldn't make much of a difference. Harvey yawned as he made his way out of his room, looking to make a pot of coffee. It wasn't until he was actually in the kitchen, pouring water into the coffee maker, that he noticed the small lump under a blue blanket on his couch. He glanced around, confused, and when the 'lump' began to squirm a little, the lawyer nearly jumped out of his skin.

The scene was vaguely familiar, like he'd seen it in a dream of some sort_. _Harvey's eyes widened when he caught sight of a pair of suit pants and a blue button up folded up on the coffee table. A skinny tie was on the floor beside the expensive couch, causing his brow to cinch together. He couldn't help but think the clothes looked like _Mike's. _

"Shit," he muttered under his breath.

_ That wasn't a nightmare you had, _he thought as he approached the small figure. When he got closer, he saw tuffs of blonde hair sticking out from under the blanket. There was a tiny yawn, and suddenly a child's head emerged, blue eyes blinking tiredly.

The little boy looked up at the older lawyer, pushing the blanket away a little and revealing his Thomas the Train pajamas. "Hawv-" he caught his mispronunciation and frowned minutely before trying again. "Harvey?"

_Mike._

Harvey stared a moment, not really sure what to say. Now he remembered walking out into the kitchen last night and seeing the kid who turned out to be his associate. He recalled Mike practically having a breakdown and crying like a baby when he found out there wasn't any food for him to eat, and then calling Donna whilst attempting to keep his cool. She'd come over and given mini-Mike some clothes that fit and then he'd thrown another tantrum until his boss bought them pizza. Mike had watched TV and eaten until he passed out on Harvey's expensive couch leaving his boss to hope that he wouldn't drool or have an 'accident' like kids apparently did.

The boy cautiously sat up, though his eyes were squeezed shut and his bottom lip quivered slightly.

"I'm still little, aren't I?" he whispered. He already knew the answer but he felt the need to ask anyhow.

"Yeah…at least you haven't gotten any younger though," Harvey joked dryly. "I'm sure being a toddler can't be as bad as turning into a baby. Actually, I'd like that. Then you wouldn't be able to talk."

"Ha-ha," Mike grumbled, letting his eyes flutter open in time to see Harvey walking back to the kitchen. "You're such an ass."

"Hey, hey, watch your language or I'll have to give you a time-out." The older man smirked as he tried to focus back on his coffee. If his associate was going to be stuck like this for a while, he was at least going to have a little fun with it.

The boy rolled his eyes and stared down at his hands in his lap. He felt unbelievably tired. The only reason he was awake was because of the internal alarm clock that had formed over the past year while working at Pearson Hardman. But the new child part of him wanted to curl back up under the blanket and sleep for a few more hours. It didn't help that he'd woken up about four times in the middle of the night because he kept having nightmares about some war veteran homeless man killing him. _Shouldn't have watched Criminal Minds, _he thought bitterly, massaging his temples. The smell of coffee soon filled the room, helping the associate to become more alert. Sleepily, he rubbed his eyes before sliding off the sofa and heading to the kitchen and cursing his smallness again when he realized he'd need to ask for help to get onto the stool to sit at the counter. He shook his head, sighing loathingly before asking if Harvey would give him a hand. Harvey rolled his eyes and walked around the counter, reluctantly hoisting up the small child and placing him on one of the stools. Mike could only describe it as awkward; Harvey held him up as if…well, as if he'd never held a child before and was scared of doing so.

Mike stared longingly at Harvey's mug while the older man heated up some leftover pizza for the both of them.

"Can I have some too?" he asked as Harvey cut up the kid's slice like Donna had. The last thing he wanted was for his assistant to kill him for letting their puppy choke.

"Have some what?" He handed Mike his plate.

"_Coffee. _I'm tired."

Harvey scoffed and shook his head. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to give a toddler caffeine? Yeah, right. I'd rather you slept than destroyed my condo while on some sort of caffeine-high. You can have some orange juice. Sorry, don't have any sippy-cups."

Mike huffed in annoyance, eating his pizza in an angry silence and glaring at the glass of juice his boss set in front of him. He hated being treated like a kid when he was normal, but now it just seemed about ten times worse considering the fact he was actually a child now. He could only imagine how worse it would get while he was stuck like this. _That asshole scientist better turn me back or…or…or what? _He frowned to himself. _Or we'll sue him. For what money though? He has nothing. _Mike's frown deepened until he was practically scowling. _Well Harvey will probably do something to make him regret it. _

"So what are we doing today?"

"Well I was planning on working on a new case but then you had to get yourself into this mess," Harvey told him in an semi-irritated tone, gesturing toward the boy. "Now I've got to go figure out how to fix it."

"This wasn't my fault!" Mike said defensively. "Wh-why are you _laughing_? This isn't funny either! When are you going to see if Mark Stevens is going to change me back?"

His boss shrugged. "I think it's funny. You act like a child half of the time, and now you can look like one too. Why not just…embrace it?" he chuckled, picking up his Blackberry from where he'd left it on the counter the night before.

"_Embrace it? _How am I supposed to be okay with being completely disabled when it comes to almost everything! I-I can't get onto this stool without help, I can't eat food that's not cut up apparently, I can dwink coffee, and I'm weawing kiddy pajamas!" As he grew more upset, his lower lip wobbled and he sounded like an actual three-year- old. Harvey was beginning to come to the conclusion that it seemed to only happen when he got upset. Maybe it was because he wasn't really paying too much attention to his speech then since he was too busy freaking out. "You've gotta get Mawk to fix dis! I don't- I can't…. Um…Hawvey?"

Harvey pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to will his associate to shut up with his mind. _If only this would work. I'd never have to listen to his rambling again._ "What?"

"I uh, well I er…"

"Spit it out."

"I gotta pee."

The older man's head snapped up. Mike stared at him with wide, scared blue eyes. The kid had to _climb _onto the couch; there was no way he could reach the toilet on his own. Harvey suddenly realized what Mike meant when he felt the need to inform his boss.

"_No._"

* * *

"We're getting you a stepstool by the way," Harvey snapped as they got into the car.

"Good," Mike mumbled, blushing bright red as his boss helped him to buckle up.

After a good five minutes of arguing about how neither of them wanted Harvey to help him use the restroom, the kid basically burst into tears, practically shaking. Harvey claimed that the only reason he did it was because he didn't want Mike to have an accident on any of his furniture or anywhere in his home. The boy turned pink, his neck feeling hot. He only took small comfort in that not even Harvey would use the incident against him when he turned back since they were both embarrassed by it.

Afterwards, Harvey had ushered Mike out into the living room and turned on morning cartoons while he went to change into a suit. He was going to Pearson Hardman_ with _Mike to try to figure out how he could talk to Dr. Stevens. Harvey wasn't sure he could last another _hour _with the toddler version of his employee.

Mike was reluctant to leave the privacy of Harvey's building and nearly resorted to trying to hide when he found out they were going to _work _where they might run into some of his fellow associates.

"Yes, Mike. They're going to assume that a little toddler is you. No one will recognize you so calm the hell down and get dressed. Pick a shirt that fits this time though, okay?" he'd said.

Mike changed as fast as he could, though he needed Harvey's help to button up his pants. "Fine," he'd grumbled as they got into the glass elevator.

It wasn't until they were nearing Pearson Hardman however that Harvey said, "We might have to tell Jessica though."

The boy groaned and slumped down in his seat, rubbing his face with his little hands. This was just getting better and better.

* * *

Mike struggled to keep up with his boss' longer strides as they walked through Pearson Hardman. Various eyes were trained on the closer and the mystery child that followed at his heels. Unfortunately for both of them, even at 7:00 AM the firm was already bustling with activity. While Mike prayed that Gregory, Kyle, or Rachel wouldn't see him, Harvey hoped for the same with Daniel and Louis.

Harvey ignored everyone, quickly making his way towards his office. If he could help it, he'd prefer to find out how to fix his and Mike's new predicament without the help of Jessica. But of course, that just couldn't happen.

"Harvey?" the managing partner's voice came from the doorway of her office as they passed.

He stopped, turning on his heels and smiling at his boss. Mike jumped behind his boss in a feeble attempt to stay out of sight.

"How can I help you, Jessica?" he asked as innocently as possible.

"Well first of all, who's that?" She nodded toward the small head peeking out from behind the older man.

"Actually, I was on my way to drop him off at my office. How about we talk later? I've got some…stuff to deal with first."

"How about we talk _now_?"

Jessica turned and stepped back into her office. Harvey reluctantly followed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Mike tugged at his suit pants, mumbling something about not wanting to go inside but was ignored.

"So, would you care to explain why you have a toddler with you?" Jessica asked once they were in her office.

"Not really. What I'd like to do is speak with Mark Stevens,"

"The kid who attacked your associate… Why? How is he doing?" She would be lying if she said she wasn't a tad worried by Harvey's expression. He looked like somebody had just died for Pete's sake.

"Ask him yourself." Harvey stepped aside to reveal the little blonde boy who'd been effectively hiding behind his boss' legs. He squeaked, trying to jump back behind Harvey again, but the older man stopped him and lightly pushed him in front of him as if to present the boy to Jessica.

She gave a small laugh, tilting her head to the side. "What are you talking about? Are you trying to tell me _that _is your associate? Are you sure Mark Stevens didn't give _you _the injection?"

"No, this is Mike and why I need to talk to that guy."

Mike looked up at the woman as she stared down at him questioningly. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before running a hand through his hair.

"Just in case you were gonna ask me some question to see if I'm who we're saying I am; you made me reenact how I met _him _after deciding not to fire me 'cause you wanted to know why Harvey chose me," he grumbled, pointing his thumb at his boss who stood behind him.

"_Okay, Mike. _Why don't you go sit on the couch and let the grownups talk?" she suggested, causing the associate to grit his teeth in frustration before quickly obliging when the managing partner arched her eyebrows at his brief defiance.

The partners talked quietly for a while, trying to figure out what to do next. Obviously Jessica still wasn't quite sure what to make of the child that had been the man she'd tried to fire only a week ago for being a fraud. Obviously they needed to rethink the case that they'd been working on against Mark Stevens, but they also need to figure out what to do with Mike in the meantime. What would they do if the scientist couldn't or wouldn't turn him back? What would be their story for where adult-Mike was? Who would they say little-Mike was to Harvey? And who would they tell the truth?

"Can he work?"

"No, I don't think so. Mini-genius can't read."

"Can to!" Mike piped up from his seat.

"Not well enough to keep working at a law firm."

The boy groaned, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back until he was basically just laying on the couch. His lower lip quivered as he tried to imagine not being able to be a 'lawyer' anymore.

During the car ride, Harvey had given Mike a file to look at but after a few minutes the kid had grown frustrated and tossed it back to his boss. When he asked what the hell he did that for, Mike simply said he didn't understand what he was reading. He knew that he _knew _the bigger words, but he couldn't process it. Nothing made sense. And when Harvey tried to see if he could at least write, the kid had the penmanship of an elementary school student.

"Well who do we have here?" a voice said from the doorway.

Jessica and Harvey looked over to see Daniel Hardman standing in the office, Louis hovering slightly behind him. Mike glanced over at Harvey, appearing utterly terrified. He simply hoped that the senior and managing partner would keep their little secret.

Harvey and Jessica exchanged annoyed looks, then both turned to stare defiantly at Daniel.

"Harvey's _nephew_," Jessica lied with a smile. "Visiting from…Los Angeles, is it?"

The senior partner frowned at her.

"Yeah, my _nephew_, Michael." He turned to the little boy who sat fidgeting on the couch, giving him a stern look as if to say he'd better just go along with it. Mike nodded at Daniel and Louis, smiling weakly.

"Nice to meet you, _Michael. _That reminds me; Harvey, how _is _your associate? Mike?" Daniel stared at him questioningly, though Harvey wasn't quite sure how to read his emotions at the moment. The man always sounded like he had an agenda and as if he knew something they didn't.

"The doctors aren't sure what Mark Stevens gave him so we're just…hoping for the best." He feigned a worried smile.

Hardman nodded. "Seems like a good kid. Keep us updated. Jessica, I came to bring you these." He handed her a couple files then left as fast as he came.

Once he was gone, Louis stepped in appearing to be deep in thought. Mike stared down at his lap as if he was worried the junior partner would somehow recognize him. Louis glared at the boy for a while, scrutinizing him. Mike squirmed in his seat uncomfortably, not even wanting to look up at Harvey.

"Do you take _joy _in scaring children?"

Louis turned to Harvey and shrugged. "What makes you think I scare children?" Harvey opened his mouth to give the man a snarky reply but was cut off. "I just think it's strange how that scientist was ranting about a de-aging serum and suddenly you have a nephew named _Michael _and _Mike _isn't here?"

The senior partner gave a short laugh while Mike paled.

"You think this toddler is my associate, Louis?"

"No! I'm just saying -"

"Because it sounds like you're say-"

"Harvey, Louis, shut up," Jessica said, not in the mood for their petty bantering. "Just tell him."

"_Why?_"

"You said you'd only tell Jessica!" Mike gaped at them. Didn't he get in a say in this?

"You don't think he'll figure it out at some point?" the managing partner asked.

"Find out _what_?"

"Nothing."

"_Harvey. _Tell him."

"Tell me."

"Don't!"

Harvey rolled his eyes, finding that he was enjoying the little argument as he continued to ignore Mike attempting to give his input. "You tell him."

"Hey!" Mike's blue eyes were wide as he shook his head. He couldn't believe Harvey kept doing this. He might as well tell everyone if he was going to tell Louis. The managing partner rolled her eyes.

"I expect you to keep this quiet, Louis," Jessica said sternly, though she smiled when she glanced at Mike.

"Of course, Jessica."

"This _is _Mike. Mark Steven's really did create a…_de-aging _agent."

Louis smiled, looking semi-amused, semi-annoyed. He glanced back and forth between everyone in the room before folding his arms over his chest. "You're joking right? Am I being Punk'd?" They stared at him blankly. "Okay. So Ross is literally a child…"

"Yes, Louis. Mike is an actual child. Now, let's all get back to work-" Harvey started irritably.

"No, no, no, wait. This is just too great. First, can you believe the breakthrough this man has brought us? Think of the billable! Second, your associate is a kid, Harvey!" Louis looked about to laugh and cry at the same time and Mike was ready to throw a tantrum if he didn't leave soon. Harvey noticed and shot him a glare that said he better not scream and embarrass himself.

"Alright, Louis," Harvey said, trying to stop the junior partner.

"But I'm not done-"

"You both are done!" Jessica stepped in sternly almost feeling bad for mini-Mike.

"Louis, aren't you supposed to be calling your pretend wife-"

"Oh, don't even start that."

* * *

After about an hour of Mike's frustrated sighs an near-breakdowns, Harvey had had enough. He spent a lot of time pretending not to give a crap about the kid, but he knew how much it was getting to Mike that he couldn't work. He was terrified that to would end up getting fired and knowing that Jessica had little reason to keep him around at the moment was just adding to his stress level. Mike had spent the entire day trying to keep his cool, not wanting to have a meltdown at work (he was still paranoid that people would know who he really was). It took a good half an hour to get Mike to lie down on the couch and relax, the hopeful outcome being that he would simply fall asleep. Luckily it worked, giving Harvey the small window he needed.

"Where are you going?" Donna asked as the senior partner walked out of his office, leaving a napping Mike on the couch.

"To the police station to talk to Mark Stevens," Harvey deadpanned. "I want him to change Mike back _today_."


End file.
